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global eyes
Ace opens first Mexican store
ACE HARDWARE INTERNATIONAL
Holdings opened its first Mexican franchise store in Monterrey, the capital and largest city of the north eastern state of Nuevo León, at the end of October.
With a plan to open 13 additional Mexican stores by the end of 2022, the Monterrey store is the first under Ace’s new turnkey franchise model announced last year.
The store is located not far from Ace International’s support office, and has 15 employees, across more than 14,000ft2 (1,300m2), 2,000 ft2 of which are dedicated as a showroom featuring decorative tile, plumbing fixtures and bath accessories.
The franchise program in Mexico offers
a variety of store formats ranging from 300m2 (the “Express” format) to 3,000m2 (Super format) and offers both Mexican and global brands.
“Mexico is a growing market,
particularly for home improvement,” says Macedonio Garza, Ace Mexico Country Manager.
Ace now operates in some 70 countries
and has opened more than 900 stores globally in the past five years.
www.acehardwareintl.com https://acehardware.com.mx/
Cost pressures grow for
UK building product manufacturers
THE UK CONSTRUCTION Products Association’s latest State of Trade Survey for the 3rd quarter reports good growth for its members at the same time as “escalating cost pressures and ongoing issues” on
the supply side that have been “further exacerbated by a shortage of HGV drivers and disruption at major ports.”
The CPA data shows cost pressures intensifying and spreading from raw materials to fuel, energy and wages and salaries, thanks to the recent rise in global gas, electricity and crude oil prices, as well as a shortage of both skilled and unskilled labour.
CPA Economist Amandeep Bahra
says: “Despite challenging trading conditions stemming [from] Covid- 19 and Brexit, construction product manufacturers achieved a fifth consecutive quarterly rise in product sales in Q3. More encouragingly, manufacturers remained optimistic about sales growth over the next 12 months.
“However, the recent surge in global energy and commodity prices have pushed up energy and fuel costs for manufacturers.”
All firms surveyed reported an annual increase in fuel costs, with higher energy costs hitting a four-year high for energy-intensive structural products manufacturers and a nine-year high for “light side” manufacturers.
“With a record high proportion of heavy side firms operating at over 90% capacity, cost pressures are unlikely to abate any time soon, especially, as the full impact of rising energy prices is yet to be felt.”
www.constructionproducts.org.uk
26 NZHJ | DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz